February 21, 2021

Weekly Announcements

This publication is an experiment, the 3rd of its kind, and it is designed to see if the community announcements can be shared using an email and to see how the community feels about this format.

There are three (3) kinds of Meetings for Worship at Annapolis Friends Meeting (AFM). All of which are unprogramed silent centering worship:

Spiritually connected, physically apart and without technology at 8:00 am on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays
In-Person outside at the meetinghouse for pre-registered attendees when the weather is agreeable. Register Here
- 8:00 am on the 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays
- 11:00 am on the 1st & 3rd Sundays
Online video conferencing at 11:00 am using Zoom each Sunday: ZOOM LINK; Phone: 301-715-8592, Meeting ID: 650 269 455, Passcode: 241727

As is our tradition, joys and announcements are shared after each Meeting for Worship (MfW). Although the information below does not include all of the joys or announcements for our community, it is wonderful to share what we have available. Check out the AFM Calendar for more. On the Calendar, select the “Agenda” view if you would like to see a list by clicking on the word “Month” at the top right corner of the calendar and select “Agenda” from the dropdown list.

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Coming UP:

The list below can also be viewed on the bottom right of the homepage in the Coming Up section – wait for it to fully load.

Feb. 22nd (Monday), Quaker Market Committee meeting at 7:00 pm
Feb. 24th (Wednesday), Wednesday Meditation 7:00 pm
Feb. 25th (Thursday),
- 6:00 pm Peace & Social Concerns dinner meeting discussion about helping neighbors during COVID times.
- 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Fifth Night Light
Feb. 27th (Saturday), Spiritual Friendship/Community Group 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at the meetinghouse.
Feb. 28th (Sunday)
- 9:15 am to 10:45 am, Meeting for Learning on Quakerism: about Witness & Testimony. Other scheduled MfLs on Quakerism will take place on March 28th about Contemporary Friends and Theological Diversity). March 14th MfL: Sacred Chant & Dance.
- Meeting for Worship at 8:00 am & 11:00 am
- 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm, Friends Writing Together
- 3:00 pm Reparations Discussion hosted by Peace & Social Concerns. Pre-register by clicking on REGISTRATION LINK and you will receive the Zoom link after registration.
Mar. 11th (Thursday), Greater Annapolis Interfaith Network (GAIN) “Mental Health During a Pandemic” lecture (at 7:00 pm).
Mar. 14th (Sunday)
- Junior Youth Friends Conference will be joining AFM’s 11:00 am MfW on Zoom.

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Spiritual Friendship/Community Group

The Weekend Spiritual Friendship / Community Group meets monthly on the 4th Saturday (02/27) at 10:30 am at the meetinghouse. The group is mainly meant as a way to build community, spiritual support, and share our spiritual journeys and questions about spirituality. This is an open group for anyone who is affiliated with Annapolis Friends Meeting. Currently, the meeting is held in-person, only, due to technical difficulties. The AFM in-person guidelines will be required to reduce the risk of coronavirus infections, including wearing masks, and maintaining social distancing.

For more information, contact Jo Anne Schneider at joanneschneider77@gmail.com

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Quaker Voice of Maryland

The Quaker Voice of Maryland is an organization that seeks to help Quakers in the State of Maryland to have a more effective voice in statewide policy decisions. There are action opportunities for the week of Feb. 22 – Feb. 26th:

Action Alert – Week 7 (Link): Friends can show support for our climate justice priority bill, Climate Solutions Now Act, by contacting their delegates using our sample emails. Our goal is to support this bill getting voted out of committee so it can make it to the House floor. Action alert and more information can be found on our website: https://www.quakervoicemd.org/legislative-session

Lobbying with f/Friends: We encourage Friends to register for two virtual opportunities. Go to our website for more information and to register: https://www.quakervoicemd.org/legislative-session

Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform is hosting a virtual lobby training on 2/21 @ 7PM focused on criminal justice reform to prepare Friends for virtual lobbying.
Chesapeake Climate Action Network is hosting a virtual lobby week February 22-26th focused on the Climate Solutions Now Act; activities include a virtual rally on 2/22 @ 5PM and opportunity to sign up for virtual meetings with your representatives.

For more information, contact Phil C. at social-concerns@annapolisfriends.org.

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Maryland Alliance for Justice Reform

There are important committee hearings that may be of interest, including:

Tuesday, 2/23, 1:00 p.m., (Senate JPR). SB0742 will require a study of other states’ successful Model Prison programs that offer education, structure, peer mentoring, and other best practices to drastically improve outcomes in reduction of prison violence and recidivism. Maryland needs to change the basic culture of its prisons to be restorative, rather than punitive!

Tuesday, 2/23, 1:00 p.m. (House Judiciary). Various expungement bills will be considered. Maryland currently offers very limited and burdensome procedures to remove public records, despite ex-offenders having completed their sentences and established lengthy good behavior. HB0238 and HB0882 offer useful steps towards a fresh start for Marylanders who have rehabilitated themselves.

Thursday, 2/25, 1:00 p.m. (Senate JPR), SB0671 permits police the option to issue citations, instead of arrest, for nonviolent misdemeanors such as simple drug possession, when appropriate. Supported by the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association and Maryland Chiefs and Sheriffs, this bill would reduce pretrial detention population, costs, COVID-19 risk, and add more time and efficiency for police.

For more information, contact Phil C. at social-concerns@annapolisfriends.org.

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Meetings for Learning

On February 28th at 9:15 am the Ministry & Worship (M&W) Committee will conduct the second of the three-part series on an Introduction to Quakerism with the topic Witness and Testimony. There is a video that you might want to watch in advance: LINK TO VIDEO. Then on March 28th the topic will be Contemporary Friends and Theological Diversity. March 14th will be Sacred Chant & Dance. MfL is held at 9:15 am until 10:45 am on the Sundays listed above.

For more information, contact Ann R. at ministry@annapolisfriends.org.

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Friends Writing Together

At 12:30pm on Sunday, February 28th, Friends Writing Together allows us to indulge our creative selves and let words pour from our deepest places. What arrives may be a funny or poignant memory, a work of fiction, new lyrics or a poem, often surprising us with where we have been led. During the gathering, writing prompts are offered which begin the flow, and we write for 8 minutes. We then have the option to share our writing with the other participants, who offer not critique, but what moved them. We are a warm, welcoming group, so if you would like to put pen to paper or fingertips to keyboard, join us.

For more information, contact Dotty D. at info@annapolisfriends.org.

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Reparations Discussion

There will be a discussion about reparations held at 3:00 pm Feb. 28th (Sunday) to further expand upon the discussion during the recent Meeting for Learning (MfL) on Reparations that Peace & Social Concerns (P&SC) Committee hosted. Pre-register by clicking on REGISTRATION LINK and an email with the Zoom link will be sent to you. is February 28th (Sunday) in the afternoon.

For more information, contact Phil C. at social-concerns@annapolisfriends.org.

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Environmental Initiatives – EVs

The Green Team and more are requesting input from the community with regards to Electric Vehicles (EV) and charging stations for the purpose of applying for a grant to install additional EV charging stations. If you own an electric vehicle or planning on purchasing one, please contact Doug McC.

For more information, contact Doug McC. at info@annapolisfriends.org.

Greater Annapolis Interfaith Network

The Greater Annapolis Interfaith Network (GAIN) is seeking additional board members. Check them out on Facebook or contact Tom Wolfe (see below). On March 11th (Thursday) 7:00 pm Greater Annapolis Interfaith Network (GAIN) will be presenting a meeting on Zoom to be hosted by Dr. Tom Muha concerning “Mental Health During a Pandemic” using Zoom.

For more information, contact Tom W. at outreach@annapolisfriends.org.

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Wednesday Meditation Group

At 7:00 pm every Wednesday, the Meditation Group meets on Zoom. The meeting starts with 40-minutes of silent meditation followed by a book discussion. The book changes and is selected by the group. Zoom LINK. Phone: 301-715-8592, Meeting ID: 821 9517 1855, Passcode: 066188

Contact Patty R. for more information by email to info@annapolisfriends.org

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5th Night Light – Every Thursday evening

From 7:00 pm until 8:00 pm, the AFM community engages in a spiritual practice that acknowledges the Light of God within each person and that to be in community is to actively care for one another. During that time, Friends hold people and situations who need additional spiritual support in the Light. Friends will pause wherever they may be, read the list of names, and hold each person or situation in our hearts and in the Light. On Wednesday, the list of names or situations are sent out to the AFM-Announce list.

For more information, contact Pastoral Care at pastoral-care@annapolisfriends.org.

For additional information about Annapolis Friends Meeting and other events click here for the calendar. Or at https://dev.annapolisfriends.org

Spiderweb & Dew

Annapolis Friends Meeting

Info@annapolisfriends.org